Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

Sep 07, 2017scribby rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
An unflinching look at heroism in the darkest circumstances, this novel chronicles the lives of a large group of fictional characters in Italy during the Nazi occupation near the end of WWII. (Though fictional, they are based on interviews of real people who were there, or upon historical records. One of the major plotlines concerns a Jewish family who escaped over the Alps into Italy, and a group of nuns who helped hide them when this occupation followed.) Horrific details mix with the continuation (as much as possible) of everyday life, and it’s all written in the present tense to give a greater sense of reader involvement. The meaning of the title is revealed near the end. It sums up an optimistic view of life even during the worst horrors perpetrated on humans by other humans. This book is also a warning, as our own country seems to be sliding in the direction of similar tyranny.